Traffic Safety Weak?

On the second day of the week aimed at promoting road safety in Rwanda, the Rwanda National Police (RNP) has taken the campaign to the streets educating passengers on their role in road safety.

Yesterday the police and university students jointly held talks with passengers and drivers in an effort to prevent accidents as the festive season sets in.

Supt. Robert Niyonshuti, the commander of traffic police, said that the operation was aimed at sensitizing all passengers to guard their lives by having a say on how drivers’ conduct their business.

"We are encouraging all passengers to watch their drivers and report any misconduct to the authorities,” Niyonshuti said adding that it is a collective responsibility to ensure safety on the roads.

He pointed out that if a passenger smells alcohol on a driver or even realize they are being driven at a high speed, they should immediately report to the police.

"Drivers should however not wait to be cautioned by the passengers or the police as they will eventually be punished,” Niyonshuti emphasized.

The Association of University Students also sent representatives to help the police in the exercise.

The reigning Miss Kigali Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Winnie Ngamije, urged drivers not to be careless and to always heed safety precautions such as putting on seat belts.

"If a driver is tired and they still want to drive, it is risky because they will crash since they can’t easily control the fatigue. It is advised that you don’t drive in that condition,” Ngamije told passengers who were traveling in a passenger service van.

Ngamije, who was also dressed in the trademark traffic police green jacket to give her message a clearer meaning, appreciated the initiative to involve the public in road safety campaigns.

"Since we (the public) comprise the biggest percentage of road users, you can be sure this drive will be a success,” she said.

Today the police are scheduled to talk to more passengers from different taxi parks, while tomorrow special workshops to sensitize drivers and motorists will be held at various designated points countrywide.

Ends